Stop it in its Tracks: Mitigation Measures for Hepatitis A
As we discussed in our first January blog, hepatitis A is a viral infection that can cause a serious liver disease. Because it is so serious and the incidence is increasing, it is important to take steps to mitigate its impact on our employees, our customers, and ourselves. There are three main mitigation practices that should be employed: vaccination; exclusion; and good employee hygiene practices.
Vaccinations
As mentioned in the previous blog, there is a vaccination that will protect people from hepatitis A and it is a good idea for each of us to get that vaccination to protect our health. It is interesting that it is the only foodborne illness for which there is a vaccination. It is an inexpensive measure when compared to costs of dealing with the consequences of an outbreak.
Most foodservice operations don’t require hepatitis A vaccinations for its employees, and most health departments across the country don’t have such a requirement. But there are a couple of case studies where individual health departments have imposed a mandatory vaccination requirement with impressive outcomes. St. Louis County, MO has a mandatory vaccination requirement for foodservice employees and the number of reported infections has decreased. Clark County, NV (Las Vegas is in Clark County) was experiencing a higher number of confirmed cases of hepatitis A than the national average, so mandatory vaccinations for foodservice employees was implemented in the late 1990s. The hepatitis A rates dropped to historic lows by 2010. They dropped the requirement in 2012 and since have been involved in a hepatitis A outbreak. These two examples make a good case for imposing a requirement for hepatitis A vaccinations for food handlers. It also provides good evidence as to the efficacy of screening employees for hepatitis A if there is not a vaccination requirement.
Exclusion
Hepatitis A is one of the diagnoses that employees must report to their supervisor, whether they or household members have the diagnosis. They also must report jaundice, a common symptom of hepatitis A (although it may appear only as the infection advances). As per government regulations in the Food Code, these employees must be excluded from the operation AND the supervisor should notify the regulatory agency about the situation. Food handlers with hepatitis A or jaundice must have a written release from a medical practitioner before they can return to work, and be cleared by the regulatory (health) agency.
Employee Hygiene Practices
Sometimes people are asymptomatic and still carry the hepatitis A virus. That means they can unknowingly transfer the virus to others through food or food contact surfaces. We know that the hepatitis A virus is in feces, so this is one of many reasons why we – staff, managers, and customers -have to be laser focused on personal hygiene. Everyone has to pay attention and wash hands when they should be washed using the proper procedures. If your operation does not have a written standard operating procedure (or recipe) for hand washing, there are excellent resources by FoodHandler on our Food Safety Resources page. Further, single-use gloves always need to be used when handling ready-to-eat foods—that is a Food Code requirement because it adds a barrier (an extra layer of protection) between the hands and the food being handled.
The health and hygiene of those working in foodservices is so critical, not just because of hepatitis A and other foodborne illnesses but also in conveying a sense of cleanliness about the operations. We just have to be meticulous about hands because they can so easily contaminate food and work surfaces.
Following the practices described is critical for controlling not only hepatitis A, but other foodborne pathogens. Be proactive. Risk nothing!
Getting Started with Building the Infrastructure
Hopefully in our first January blog, we convinced you of the importance of establishing an infrastructure within your operation to support a safe food culture. So, how does one go about doing this? Well, like any major project, break it into small bites. In our opinion, having a written guide for employees that documents expectations related to food safety basics of employee health and hygiene, temperature controls, and cleaning and sanitizing is the first step. Having this documentation serves as a reference for training and helps fulfill the mission of most foodservice operators which is to serve safe, quality food.
Food Safety Resolutions for the New Year
Finally, 2020 is in our rearview mirror and we can all turn the page to 2021! Resolutions for the new year might be more of the same from prior years (lose weight, exercise more, less screen time, etc.) OR you may have identified new practices to implement in your operation. If the latter, likely goals included some practices related to food safety – especially given the turmoil of 2020 and heightened concern by customers. It is our philosophy that attention to safe food handling practices is a win-win for any operation because of the direct relationship between food safety and food quality, which in turn leads to customer satisfaction. This past year has also demonstrated that attention to safety can affect the bottom line. Thus, the topic of our first SafeBites webinar for 2021 is on the topic of the return on investment of food safety, it is scheduled for January 20, so register now and please plan to attend.
To Toss or Not to Toss? That is the question.
Our first blog for the month emphasized the basic safe food practices needed to keep you and your guests healthy (and happy!), especially during these times of COVID. The impact of foodborne illness can range from an uncomfortable few days to hospitalization or death. Foodborne illness IS preventable and the steps taken to keep food safe also maintain quality of food, and ultimately profitability. Think of attention to food safety as part of quality control and a win-win business strategy. Knowledge about food safety can be helpful when controlling costs as making wise decisions when determining the fate of unserved food can affect the bottom line.
Holiday Food Safety Controls
In case you have not noticed - the holidays are here! We have seen store decorations up since mid-September and early bird deals advertised for several weeks, stretching the typical Black Friday deals throughout the month as retailers strive to ensure market share, while following increasingly stringent mandates for physical distancing
